Murray a worry for Wimbledon
ANDY MURRAY’S Wimbledon hopes took another huge blow when the LTA confirmed the former British No1 had not asked for a wild card to an event that was set up mainly to ease him back into action.
The Loughborough Trophy is a new indoor tournament specifically scheduled at a time when Murray otherwise would have been able only to play on clay ahead of the grass-court season. However, in recent weeks he has cut back his on-court rehabilitation schedule after hip surgery and, with Wimbledon just over six weeks away, the chances of him arriving in SW19 in any sort of shape to challenge are rapidly diminishing.
Murray, who turned 31 this week, is now expected formally to withdraw from the French Open, having been unable to declare himself “injured” while he hoped to play Loughborough.
Now the big question is whether he is able to fulfil his promise to appear for the first time at s’-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands at the Libema Open on June 11.
The Loughborough event has at least been able to welcome Dan Evans, making his way back after a year-long drug ban, as a qualifying wild card.
In Rome, meanwhile, Rafael Nadal remained on track to reclaim the world No1 spot from Roger Federer as he recovered from a set down to beat Italian Fabio Fognini 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the semifinals. Should the Spaniard lift his eighth Italian Open trophy – and with it a record 32nd Masters 1000 title – he will return to the top of the rankings.